Android 2.7.0 Beta

Subforum for discussion and help with ScummVM's Android port

Moderator: ScummVM Team

Vardion
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2020 12:01 pm

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by Vardion »

Praetorian wrote: Sun Mar 05, 2023 5:27 pm So we *have* to use SAF for file access (...).
I understand that SAF is slow, especially when a lot of files are involved. It might be a suitable workaround to offer an option to copy the needed files into ScummVM's own directory (using SAF) and then use regular file access on the copied files. VCMI does this.
This breaks sharing of game files with other apps, but apart from some retro system emulators (Amiga etc.) there probably aren't any other apps needing the game files, so hey can be deleted after importing to ScummVM.
nozomi
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2005 9:28 pm

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by nozomi »

Tested the 2.7.0 beta release 2 and found it does not work on Android 4.3, where the previous release of ScummVM 2.6.1 did work.

Any chance of a release for older versions of Andoid? Looking at this thread, it seem to be a lot about file access and permissions for newer versions of Android, I'd be saddened to see that cause an end of support for older versions.

Also...with the changes to the Broken Sword detection, did the required data files also change? I previously only copied the required files off the CD's but now it's not detected at all. I assume if I recopied all the files from the CD's it will work, but just wanted to know if there was indeed a change to the required files needed.
User avatar
Praetorian
ScummVM Developer
Posts: 882
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 8:54 am
Location: Greece
Contact:

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by Praetorian »

nozomi wrote: Wed Mar 08, 2023 4:19 pm Tested the 2.7.0 beta release 2 and found it does not work on Android 4.3, where the previous release of ScummVM 2.6.1 did work.

Any chance of a release for older versions of Andoid? Looking at this thread, it seem to be a lot about file access and permissions for newer versions of Android, I'd be saddened to see that cause an end of support for older versions.
Edit: Sorry my bad, I thought wrong. We indeed raised the minimum SDK requirement to 19 (Android 4.4). As of yet I am not sure if this change was mandated by the Play Store or the updated version of NDK we're using...
nozomi wrote: Wed Mar 08, 2023 4:19 pm Also...with the changes to the Broken Sword detection, did the required data files also change? I previously only copied the required files off the CD's but now it's not detected at all. I assume if I recopied all the files from the CD's it will work, but just wanted to know if there was indeed a change to the required files needed.
According to our wiki update here:
https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?titl ... data_files
the folder structure from the CDs has to be maintained now, and not flattened, ie. not all files in one directory, but maintain the folders and subfolders as on the CDs.
There are a few more notes on that wiki page; hopefully they will help.
User avatar
Praetorian
ScummVM Developer
Posts: 882
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 8:54 am
Location: Greece
Contact:

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by Praetorian »

nozomi wrote: Wed Mar 08, 2023 4:19 pm Tested the 2.7.0 beta release 2 and found it does not work on Android 4.3, where the previous release of ScummVM 2.6.1 did work.

Any chance of a release for older versions of Andoid? Looking at this thread, it seem to be a lot about file access and permissions for newer versions of Android, I'd be saddened to see that cause an end of support for older versions.
The new beta, uploaded yesterday and labeled 2.7.0.2 (beta 3), should restore support for Android 4.3 (actually it restores support all the way back to 4.1 but I have few ways to actually test there are no issues on these older devices).

Please, could you test and verify that it works for you?
mike_vectra_a
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2017 4:44 am

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by mike_vectra_a »

Hello,

I have updated to 2.7.0.2 on my Fire HD8 from 2015 (Android 5.1) and now I became on every game: Error running game: Path not a directory.
When I want to Add the game again, I cant choice <Add a new Folder>, because these option isnt here.
So I cant play or add any game. Is there a workaround for this problem?

On 2.7.0.1 everything works fine.

Thank you very much.
User avatar
Praetorian
ScummVM Developer
Posts: 882
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 8:54 am
Location: Greece
Contact:

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by Praetorian »

mike_vectra_a wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 11:13 am Hello,

I have updated to 2.7.0.2 on my Fire HD8 from 2015 (Android 5.1) and now I became on every game: Error running game: Path not a directory.
When I want to Add the game again, I cant choice <Add a new Folder>, because these option isnt here.
So I cant play or add any game. Is there a workaround for this problem?

On 2.7.0.1 everything works fine.

Thank you very much.
Hello, in this new beta we removed the SAF feature from some early Android OS versions (before Android 7.0 Nougat), because they lack support for some SAF functionality and in addition SAF is really slow in some cases, so if your device can do without it, it is preferrable to do away with it.

So on Android 5.1, you should be able to allow access to external storage (ScummVM would ask you on first launch) and then use the old way to point to your games. Sorry about the inconvenience, but the change is for the better (performance and feature-support-wise).
nozomi
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2005 9:28 pm

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by nozomi »

I tested the new release on an Android 4.3 device and it now works great. Thank you.
wigoplus
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2023 4:13 am

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by wigoplus »

Can not add any game with 2.7.0 Beta 4. Previously I was using stable 2.5.x and was fine. Tried Legends Of Kyrandia 1/2/3, Lands of Lore, Eye of Beholder 1/2. All from GOG.

I'm seeing empty files folder (../Legend of Kyrandia/DAT) - no files. When trying to add the game "ScummVM could not find any game in the specified directory!". Same game files work fine with 2.7.0 on MacOS.

Is it some funny file read rights issue?

Phone is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, Android Version 13. Pease see screenshots.

Kind Regards,
wigo
Attachments
Screenshot_20230405_221043_ScummVM.jpg
Screenshot_20230405_221043_ScummVM.jpg (300.54 KiB) Viewed 5928 times
Screenshot_20230405_221050_ScummVM.jpg
Screenshot_20230405_221050_ScummVM.jpg (326.69 KiB) Viewed 5928 times
User avatar
Praetorian
ScummVM Developer
Posts: 882
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 8:54 am
Location: Greece
Contact:

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by Praetorian »

There should be a popup about this when you ran the 2.7.0 beta for the first time.

Please, check the early posts in this thread, they discuss the same issue.

The info is also in the documentation page here:
https://docs.scummvm.org/en/latest/othe ... ctory-list

Basically we had to use Google's Secure Access Framework system in modern Android OS versions, because they deprecated the old file access methods in those (noticeable for external file storage) and dropped the compatibility mode that was available for a time period. The terms for uploading in the Play Store these days make it mandatory that we use this (...) so here we are :)
wigoplus
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2023 4:13 am

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by wigoplus »

Ok, that worked. Thank you.

I think I did this before for 2.5.x from Google Play store, but when I installed new version over it - it never asked, and all games stopped working. Also funny that you can see and navigate directories, but you can't see files. I would expect that if there is no permissions you can't even see directories. Android is strange sometimes.
User avatar
Praetorian
ScummVM Developer
Posts: 882
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 8:54 am
Location: Greece
Contact:

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by Praetorian »

wigoplus wrote: Thu Apr 06, 2023 9:44 pm Ok, that worked. Thank you.

I think I did this before for 2.5.x from Google Play store, but when I installed new version over it - it never asked, and all games stopped working. Also funny that you can see and navigate directories, but you can't see files. I would expect that if there is no permissions you can't even see directories. Android is strange sometimes.
Android *is* strange sometimes.

Although you are right, the popup asking for access permission is gone from Android 13 and on (we have removed it in one for the latest 2.7.0 betas), because Google deprecated that way too, so it had no point and, if fact, displayed some glitchy behavior when I tested on Android 13 (emulated with Android Studio).
User avatar
Vorph
Posts: 98
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2005 4:58 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by Vorph »

I fiddled a bit with current Andoid beta release (2.7.0.4) works without any hassles (so far). There is something I was not able to figure out. In the last "official" version, I was able to switch between "Mouse" and "Keyboard" input. Now when playing I get the option to switch beween "Mouse", "Touch" and "GamePad" - No Keyboard. This does no longer allow me to skip cutscense using the ESC Key. Is there a way to "configure" the available controls (i.e. replace "Gamepad" with "Keyboard") or maybe even better to add a shortcut to certain keys (like ESC).

Otherwise great work, it's a pleasure running games on the tablet :D
User avatar
Praetorian
ScummVM Developer
Posts: 882
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 8:54 am
Location: Greece
Contact:

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by Praetorian »

Vorph wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 6:21 am I fiddled a bit with current Andoid beta release (2.7.0.4) works without any hassles (so far). There is something I was not able to figure out. In the last "official" version, I was able to switch between "Mouse" and "Keyboard" input. Now when playing I get the option to switch beween "Mouse", "Touch" and "GamePad" - No Keyboard. This does no longer allow me to skip cutscense using the ESC Key. Is there a way to "configure" the available controls (i.e. replace "Gamepad" with "Keyboard") or maybe even better to add a shortcut to certain keys (like ESC).

Otherwise great work, it's a pleasure running games on the tablet :D
You can still bring up the keyboard on demand by doing a long press on the icon that allows the touch control mode toggle.
This is documented here: https://docs.scummvm.org/en/v2.7.0/othe ... l-keyboard
but there's a consideration on adding this info somewhere on the backends tab (maybe).

You should also be able to set keymaps for certain games and/or globally using the keymapper tab (under Global Options and under Game Options (per game selected)), which could help with what you want. Since we support many engines with different default shortcut keys, it's possible that you'll have to customise the key maps per game.
User avatar
Vorph
Posts: 98
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2005 4:58 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by Vorph »

Thanks for the fast reply,

I somehow missed this info. Working fine and suits me well as it is considerably faster than toggling through all available options. I will play with keymapping option and see what I can achieve...

Regards,
Vorph
goetz
Posts: 120
Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2005 10:11 am

Re: Android 2.7.0 Beta

Post by goetz »

You can also skip cut scenes with the device's "back" gesture/key. This is how I have been skipping cut scenes at least for the Scumm games.
Post Reply